ENG-1998 — Page 280

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

220

The Direct Access Service, an on-line computer search facility, allows its subscribers mainly solicitors and other professional firms — direct access to the computerised land registers, to place orders for copies of land records from computer terminals in their own offices, and to obtain copies of imaged documents through their fax machines.

The Document Imaging System enables land documents presented for registration to be scanned and stored as electronic images on optical discs. The images can be retrieved and distributed quickly.

All paper land documents in the New Territories Land Registries were converted into electronic images in May 1997. Conversion of the microfilmed land documents of the Urban Land Registry into electronic images was completed in December 1998.

The Land Registry is committed to applying modern technology to provide the most efficient and cost-effective services to customers. Its vision is to establish, by 2001, a fully computerised and integrated land registration and search system that will offer convenient, speedy and cost-effective services, including central registration, guaranteed land title, and a 'one-stop' search service, without geographic restrictions. It has drawn up a Strategic Change Plan and is working vigorously towards the achievement of the vision. Land Registration statistics are at Appendix 40.

Government Conveyancing

The Legal Advisory and Conveyancing Office of the Lands Department provides professional legal services to the government for all government land transactions and associated matters. It is responsible for the issue, renewal and variation of government leases as well as the drafting and execution of conditions of sale by auction, grants and exchanges of government land, the apportionment of government rents and premia, and the recovery of outstanding arrears of government rents.

It provides conveyancing services to the Housing Authority in connection with the sale of flats under the Home Ownership Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme, The Financial Secretary Incorporated for the extension of non-renewable leases, and The Secretary for Home Affairs Incorporated for the purchase of accommodation for welfare purposes in private developments. It is also responsible for processing applications for the sale of units in uncompleted buildings which are subject to the Lands Department Consent Scheme. During the year, 18 applications involving 14 072 residential units in the urban areas were approved and in the New Territories, 37 applications involving 35 762 residential units were approved.

The office has contracted out to private solicitors the work of some of the applications for approval of Deeds of Mutual Covenant and has implemented simplified procedures for approving Deeds of Mutual Covenant and applications for consent to sell residential units in uncompleted developments. The office will continue to look into other ways and means to expedite the process.

A pamphlet containing information relating to the purchase of village houses in the New Territories was published in October 1998 and is available free of charge to the public. The telephone hotline facility providing information on consent applications has been enhanced.